How do truckers stay awake for cross-country trips?

Question

they seem to just keep going and going

Answer 1

Most of the times speed.

My dad's friend who deals, says all of his speed clients are truck drivers

Answer 2

WICKED DRUGS!

Answer 3

It not drugs like a lot of the general public thinks. Only a few do that and they busted for it. We have very strict Federal Regulations on drugs and alcohol use. The drive can have his/her license suspended or they could lose it for life. And lots of jail time comes with the use of drugs and alcohol. Did you know that the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit for a person with a CDL is 0.04% or more. A driver  can lose his/her CDL for 1 year for the first offense. And if BAC is lower than that the driver will be  put out of service. This means any trace of alcohol.

Well we can only drive 11 hours after that we have to take 10 hours off.

Just think about it this way it is their job just like you go to work every day. So the drivers just get use to sitting there and driving. They do take breaks every now and then just to get out and stretch, get something to eat, or to take a nap (the nap is my favorite). I hope this answered your question and gave you and the other people reading this some good info.

Answer 4

they are governed by the transit dept. they can only work 12 hours and have to rest 8. they keep a log. if they violate they are subject to fines

Answer 5

I agree with spidy, and forest_b.  The ex-guy who trained me 13 years ago, he had been driving 30 years. He talked about, "back in the day" he'd do chrystal speed. He said it cost him more time trying to get it, and waiting for the dealer to arrive who was always very late, then it does to just get the right amount of sleep.

     I go for a walk or run. I try to not eat but a little bit till I reach my daily goal, because if I eat a big meal first. I get real tired every time. I sleep about seven hours then, I take naps if I need too.

                                                                  La donna

Answer 6

We get used to it.  Lots of drivers drink coffee or energy drinks, smoke cigarrettes, eat candy (which is why a lot of drivers have weight issues) talk on the CB radio, talk on the cell phone (handsfree device), listen to music or talk radio....XM and Sirius radios give a lot of options to keep someone entertained.   Plus the capacity of our fuel tanks enables most trucks to travel 700-1000 miles between fill-ups.....which is why on a long trip, you may see the same truck driving steadily for a large stretch of time.  

To me, a 600 mile drive is an easy day's work.  I can't understand how people can stay awake at their desk jobs :)....it all comes down to what people enjoy doing for work and what they get used to.  

A true professional driver will not drive more than s/he is able.  Good drivers pull over and take a nap when they're tired....we know our life is worth more than the load of tomatoes or whatever we're hauling.  The law only allows a maximum of 11 hrs of driving at one time, and then you have to take a 10 hour break.  Some drivers may push this limit just a little, once in a while....but overall, most drivers are smart enough to pull it off the road when they are too tired.  

As to the drug references....people joke about it, but really....Drug use is a LOT rarer than it used to be because laws have majorly cracked down on it (no pun intended).  Back in the day it was Black Beauties, toothpicks, coke and meth....Nowadays, it's frowned upon BIG TIME even among other drivers.  The "old school" guys out here usually say "Yep, I did that thing back in the day, but I wised up and realized it's not worth it".  

Every trucking company has to submit their drivers to pre-employment and random drug testing.  Weigh stations can also submit a driver to a random drug test during a DOT inspection.  If a truck driver gets into a wreck, s/he is subject to drug testing.  If a driver gets hurt on the job, drug testing. Plus, a law officer has every right to search your truck with a drug dog at ANY time for ANY reason.  So anyone out here who's still driving around spun up on dope, is majorly risking their job, not to mention trouble with the law.

Answer 7

coffee? loud radio?  lolz  i dunno.. maybe the simple thought that they can die if they start falling asleep.. and don't they stop somewhere to rest?